Shakespeare Outside of the Globe

I recently went into central London with my daughter to see a production of Richard II starring Jonathan Bailey. It was very fun to see Fiyero do Shakespeare, but the whole cast was incredible. The location was also an interesting twist.

​Bridge Theatre is one of the newest theatre venues in London, located just a mile down the river from Shakespeare's Globe.

The Bridge doesn't only run Shakespeare plays, but the flexible space was set up for a similar "show in the round" like you'd find in the Globe. However, here set pieces came up on lifts from beneath the stage while chandeliers occasionally dropped down from the ceiling.

If you'd like to catch Jonathan Bailey as Richard II, the show continues into early May. He has been signing autographs at the stage door after each show.

Bridge Theatre is also in a great spot for photos before or after the show. It's located on the edge of Potters Field Park - a spot I often recommend for getting your photo with Tower Bridge.

Mini Hotel Review: The Dixon

Knowing we'd be out late for the show, I booked a hotel near Bridge Theatre. The Dixon is a boutique hotel run by Marriott located in a historic building just down the road from Bridge Theatre.

It looks like a grand house from the outside and was impressive enough that my teen daughter sighed "oooh mom, this is fancy". Every staff member we interacted with was friendly and helpful, and the room was comfortable and quiet. I loved the big (by UK standards) bathroom with a walk-in shower.

The location is great if you are prioritizing seeing the Tower of London, but is a little bit far from many of London's other top attractions. This does keep the price more reasonable though, considering it is a pretty luxurious hotel.

Life Abroad: Why did you move here?

It used to surprise me how often people in the UK would ask why I would want to move here. After years of wanting to live in the UK, I guess I kind of expected the people who already do live here to realize how great it is.

The grass truly is always greener though, and most people here idolize the idea of sunny California. Why would I want to be in rainy old England?

It's good to keep perspective that no place is perfect.

Tim Burton Exhibit

One of London's less touristy museums is hosting a very cool exhibit these days. If you'll be visiting by the end of May, consider popping into the Design Museum for a spooktacular exhibit of Tim Burton artwork.

See you next week!

Victoria

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